A. No. The position must, at the time of hire, require at a minimum a Master’s degree. So, if at the time of hire/transfer into the position, the minimum requirement was a Bachelor’s degree (or no degree), the position is not eligible for promotion to a ranked title.

In addition, there are a few positions that are not eligible for rank. These titles include, but are not limited to, instructor, senior lecturer, visiting professor, adjunct professor, adjunct instructor, extension associate, research associates, educators, etc.

Q. How is academic service determined?

A. The NTT Committee, in conjunction with Extension Human Resources, will determine the amount of full-time academic experience/service. This does not include experience as a student or a graduate student. Only full-time experience/service as a teacher or educator is applied toward rank.

A. The first step is to discuss your intention to seek promotion with your supervisor, typically during your annual performance appraisal.

Q. Is there a maximum number of people that can be promoted to each level in a given year?

A. There is no limit to the number of qualified candidates who can be promoted each year.

Q. Are applicants considered for a rank title if they apply for a position through Employees First (internal search)?

A. No. If offered the position, this would be a transfer not a new hire. The individual would need to apply for a rank title through the NTT promotion system.

Q. Are current employees considered for a rank title when applying for an advertised position that is not through Employees First?

A. No; however, they can apply through the next NTT Promotion cycle for a ranked title if they meet the qualifications.

A. Generally speaking, if a person holds an official title that includes “professor” or “professional,” he or she is ranked faculty. Individuals may refer to the University of Missouri or Extension faculty directory for titles held by employees. Alternatively, one may call the MU Extension Human Resources office to inquire as to the rank of a colleague. Another idea is to ask the colleague if they are ranked.

Q. Is there a time requirement before I can apply for a ranked title or a higher ranked title?

A. The applicant can put his/her materials forward for a higher ranked title whenever he/she believes he/she is ready (caveat -- the position must require a minimum of a Master's degree and the applicant must meet the degree and experience criteria for the ranked title). However, it will usually take normally at least 5 years before an applicant is able to demonstrate sustained achievement since the applicant achieved his/her current rank title.

While the applicant may refer to the previously submitted work (summary of accomplishments), he/she will need to build on that work and show clear and distinct sustained achievements from the time he/she obtained his/her current rank title. Only the new work since his/her last ranked title will be considered.

Q: What is the correct rank that should be entered on the History and Recommendation Summary form where it asks for Current Rank and Initial Appointment Date and Rank?

A. If the applicant does not have a ranked title, the current rank would be none with no initial appointment date or rank.

If the applicant has a ranked title, the applicant will put his/her current ranked title and the date he/she received the ranked title.

Q. If there are gaps in service due to family illness or local budget constraints that affected one's ability to conduct programs, how will that be viewed?

A. Candidates for promotion should explain service gaps and other information related to appointment in Appendix C: History and Recommendation Summary of the Guide or the refillable forms section on the Preparing Promotions Dossier webpage.

Q. What if I am unable to locate my initial letter of appointment?

A. You may substitute other documents indicating your initial appointment, such as a copy of your "hire" personnel action form. You may need to contact extension human resources to obtain a copy of this form.

Additionally, if you have changed positions in your career you may want to include a copy of the letter(s) (or other documentation) indicating your change in position.

Q. What is the difference between a resume and a CV?

A. The CV, or curriculum vitae, is an expanded version of the resume. For additional information, see: MU Career Center Guide to Curriculum Vitaes. A CV will very specifically reflect your scholarly accomplishments such as, presentations, publications, other teaching and research experiences, and research projects.

Q. What should I include in the summary of accomplishments?

A. If you do not have a ranked title, Tab V, Summary of Accomplishments, should reflect the cumulative body of work, including any teaching or academic experience prior to Extension employment.

If you were hired into a ranked title, Tab V, Summary of Accomplishments, should reflect the cumulative body of work since your hire date.

If you have been promoted to a ranked title, Tab V, Summary of Accomplishments, should reflect only the work done since the last promotion. While you may refer to the previous body of work, the dossier for the new rank should reflect clear, sustained and updated information since the last promotion.

Q. To what degree is revenue generation a deal-breaker for those of us who have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars locally for program support, but none of that was handled by extension on campus? Is local revenue generation applicable?

A. A narrative of all revenue generation activities should be included in the Summary of Accomplishments (Tab V). If you have increased county funding through unique strategies, be sure to document efforts to secure those increased funds. As you look at the section on revenue generation, you may document any local grants that you have secured. You may find the Revenue Generation funds sheet helpful in organizing your revenue generation efforts.

Q. What if I don’t have contributions to eXtension? Is that a deal breaker for promotion.

A. Dossiers are evaluated on all seven criteria. Some areas may be stronger than others.

Q. Do I need to explain everything I have accomplished?

A. Never assume your work is obvious to others. The promotion committee may not be familiar with your work. The provost makes the final decision on promotion, and he will not be familiar with your work. You may use the Tab IV - CV and Tab V - Summary of Accomplishments to document your career accomplishments.

Q. Does experience with other extension systems count?

A. All relevant experience counts, including other extension systems and educational institutions where your primary appointment was academic in nature.

Q. How far back do we need to go in sharing accomplishments? Should we just include everything we have accomplished while at MU?

A. For your initial promotion, your dossier, through your CV and Summary of Accomplishments, should document what you have accomplished throughout your career. This would include accomplishments prior to coming to MU. For subsequent promotions, you would only share the accomplishments that have occurred since your last promotion. You would include an up-to-date, complete CV.

Q. Should the 25-page Summary of Accomplishments (Tab V) include an overview of programs and impacts?

A. A brief narrative overview of no more than a page at the beginning of this section is an excellent way to summarize the breadth, depth and impact of your programming.

Q. Does the 25 page limit for Summary of Accomplishments (Tab V) include the samples of work and peer evaluation letters?

A. No. The Summary of Accomplishments has three separate sections and each section has it’s own limitations: 1) the narrative is limited to 25 pages, 2) the samples of work, if included, should not exceed 5 samples – each sample limited to 5 pages, and 3) there should be no more than 4 peer evaluation letters (if included).

Q. How do I know whether my participation in a grant should be included?

A. If you were the writer of the grant or the principal investigator, the amount of the grant can be included as revenue generation. Any contributions to the grant by teaching, programming, developing curriculum, conducting research and/or publishing scholarly articles should be included in your summary of accomplishments.

Q. I have been a new employee mentor. Where should that be included?

A. You should include that under professional service and leadership in the Summary of Accomplishments (Tab V).

Q. Could you please clarify which letters may be included in the dossier as an applicant applies for promotion within the non-tenure track promotion system?

Letters are required by the supervisor and program director, if the candidate has a program director. These letters are placed in Tab II by the supervisor and program director.

In addition, two external reviewers should be selected to review the candidate’s performance. These official reviewers will be selected by the supervisor, with input from the candidate. Reviewers must be professionals from universities or agencies outside the University of Missouri System. Characteristics of these reviewers appear in the guidelines under the section titled, “External Reviews.” Reviewers should be: faculty who has equivalent or above rank; an expert of documented state or national stature in a field closely associated with some facet of the candidate’s work; affiliated with a reputable academic institution with a degree program comparable to that of the candidate’s department; able to provide an unbiased review. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to send a letter requesting the review of the work. Along with the letter of request, he or she should send the dossier to the reviewer. A template of these letters appears in the guidelines. After a thorough review of the dossier, the reviewer should send a confidential letter to the supervisor. The supervisor will place the two letters in the dossier under Tab VI.

Finally, there is an opportunity for colleague/peer evaluation. This opportunity is described in the Guidelines under the section titled “Colleague/Peer Evaluations.” Faculty members may provide written and signed comments regarding the candidate’s promotion. Comments must be related to the promotion criteria. Keep in mind, the colleague/peer evaluator should be able to critically evaluate work done within the last five years; has served on a team, has had substantial interaction, and/or opportunity to observe candidate's programming; strongly encouraged to have same rank or higher but does not have to hold NTT. Although it is not the responsibility of the supervisor to request letters or provide materials to the candidate’s colleagues, any letters intended for the dossier must be received by the supervisor. The supervisor will include these letters in the candidate’s dossier under Tab V, after the 25-page Summary of Accomplishments. No more than four Colleague/Peer Evaluations letters will be accepted.

Q. I am afraid that one of my two external reviewers will not submit my letter of review by the deadline. Would it be OK for me to have a third reviewer so I have the two required letters?

A. If you are concerned that one reviewer will not submit a letter of review prior to the deadline, you and your supervisor should identify another potential reviewer so you may be sure to have the two required letters by the deadline. Supervisors will move forward with additional requests as they deem appropriate.

Q. What do I do if something prevents me from uploading my dossier or other materials on time?

A. Do not wait till the last minute to upload your dossier. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure all materials upload successfully to the NTT University of Missouri Box site by the deadline of 11:59 p.m. on September 30. Regional directors can assist in verifying a successful upload, but it is ultimately the applicant's responsibility.

A documented medical condition, other similar emergency over which the applicant and others had no control is the only appropriate reason for requesting a waiver. Only the applicant can submit a request which must be received no later than the first working day after September 30. Waivers requested after this date will not be considered. The document for which the waiver is being requested must be sent with the request.

If the applicant has issues uploading to the NTT University of Missouri Box site they should contact the committee chair or Vicki Bach, NTT Support, prior to submission deadline of 11:59 p.m. on September 30.

Q. What are the binder requirements and do you have them for purchase?

A. The paper dossier should be placed in a light blue pressboard report binder with fasteners along the left side. Ring and spring-clip binders are not acceptable. The binder can be purchased through the MU Extension website by following these steps: